


I Promise You

by queencestqueen



Series: Quote Titled Queencest Series [6]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-25 18:53:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13219026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queencestqueen/pseuds/queencestqueen
Summary: Thea Queen is prepared to ring in 2015 by herself. Fortunately for her, Oliver has different plans for this New Year’s Eve.





	I Promise You

**Author's Note:**

> \- Not beta’d because I don’t have a beta.  
> \- No spoilers for the current season of the show.  
> \- Set some vague time after Season Three, Episode 12, “Uprising.”  
> \- Also, incest, people.  
> \- Title from “I Promise You” by Selena Gomez  
> \- Established Relationship piece. A little piece that takes place in the universe of “What I Feel is the Only Truth for Me,” and it follows after “The Power of Good-bye.”  
>  **Disclaimer:**
> 
> All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of this author. This author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

The streets were brimming with people as Thea stepped out the door to what had once been her club, Verdant. The revelry was abundant and loud even in the warehouse district. The idea of venturing into the heart of the city was unappealing, no doubt the festivities were more intense there, but all Thea wanted to do was go home. Oliver was spending the evening with his friends at Mister Diggle's home so she had the place to herself. She was planning to hit the sack early and start the new year off in her dreams.

Taking a cab would only get her so far before the crowds jammed up the streets. She figured that it would be quicker, and less frustrating, to just make the trek on foot. With that goal in mind, Thea squared her shoulders and started the long walk home. The closer she came to the loft, the slower she was forced to proceed. People were everywhere, shiny reflective accessories and whistles making Thea roll her eyes. She elbowed her way through the crowds more harshly than was necessary, earning the young heiress a fair amount of ire.

Thea breathed a sigh of relief upon reaching her building. She punched in her code and a soft bing-like noise prompted her to open the door and step inside. The on-duty security guard acknowledged Thea with a nod as she started up the staircase. On the third landing, she had to maneuver her way around a couple of giggling, drunk twenty-somethings who were sprawled there. By the time she entered the loft, Thea was simply relieved to be away from other people. Leaning back against the door, the youngest Queen closed her eyes and relaxed.

When a cold breeze swept over her though, Thea's gaze was immediately drawn to the balcony doors. They were propped wide open and her heart sunk; she knew that she'd locked them before leaving earlier. She _definitely_ hadn't left them ajar like that. Grabbing the nearest item that could serve as a weapon, an ivory elephant statue, Thea crept closer towards the balcony, keeping her footsteps light and quiet. As she rounded the door, brandishing the statue, her eyes registered the man standing out there; the night sky serving as a backdrop when he turned toward her.

"Ollie," his nickname slipped from her mouth in a relieved breath. She put the rather heavy elephant on the ground, using its heft to guarantee at least one door would stay ajar, possible wind gusts be damned. "You scared me. I was worried I'd interrupted a robbery or something. What are you doing here? I thought you were going to Mister Diggle's party."

"I was planning on it, but as I was about to walk out the door I realized something."

He turned back around so that he was facing the not-so-picturesque view of the brick building across the way. Curious and a little concerned at his melancholy tone, Thea joined him at the balcony's edge. Instinctively her hands came to rest on the railing, her promise ring made a small clinking sound upon contact. "What?"

She studied his face unabashedly while awaiting the rest of his explanation. Ever since he came back from God only knows where, he'd been off. Not too much of course, but enough. Thea doubted that anyone else picked up on it. She wasn't just anyone though; she was his little sister. It had been burning at the tip of her tongue all week to question him: where had he gone? what happened there? was he alright? Yet, she was wise enough to know that pushing would only cause Oliver to shut down, so instead she waited patiently for him to tell her of his own volition.

"I realized that I didn't feel like trying to make small talk," the smile he offered her as he turned his head to address her directly, felt a little wooden. "I'd much rather be here ringing in the New year with you."

A soft smile graced her lips as she slid her right hand across the railing to cover his left. "Ollie..."

"I don't have to pretend with you, Speedy... well not anymore anyway..." He bumped his shoulder against her own. "You used to love playing pretend. Dolls weren't really your thing, though; you preferred to apply your imagination to yourself."

"I was a kid, Ollie! Kids play pretend."

A look of wistfulness stole over his features as he shifted slightly to face her, "You might not remember this, but there was this one day that you begged me to play house with you. After a little more debate and your puppy dog eyes, I finally agreed. You dragged me upstairs to your room and into your closet. When I pointed out that it was a rather small house for us, especially with all of your stuffed animals in it, you rolled your eyes at me."

"I don't remember any of this." Thea confessed, mimicking his posture unconsciously.

"Well, you were five at the time. I think you can be forgiven for not remembering it." He chuckled, "Anyway, you looked up at me with a little huff and informed me that the closet wasn't our home, it was the church. You said we had to get married before we could play house."

Genuinely surprised laughter escaped her. "Really?"

"Yes, you looked most serious when you said it too, like it was something that I should have known already." He quickly took her left hand in his right, "You had this black teddy bear of yours officiate and everything. It was extremely cute."

Before Thea could ask what the point was of this little walk down memory lane, delightful as it had been, Oliver was dropping down to one knee in front of her. His smile was brilliant as he said, "I was hoping that we could do it a little more officially this time around."

"Ol-Ollie, what are you doing?"

"I thought that would be at least a little obvious by now, Speedy, maybe I should make it clearer?"

With his free hand, he reached into his suit jacket and tugged the black velvet box out. Flipping the lid open, he turned the box around so the ring inside faced her. The three diamonds on the band glittered beautifully from the depths of the white cushion holding it. "I know I've made many mistakes and kept secrets from you, Thea, and I wish I could vow that I was done making those mistakes or was done keeping things from you, but I cannot. There are some promises that I _can_ make, though.

I can promise you that I will never pretend with you, Thea. I can promise that, even if I must disappear again, I will always do my absolute best to come back to you. You are my touchstone, my home. I can promise that I will always love you best and most of all. Forever. You are the love of my life, my infinity, and when I imagine my future, all I can ever imagine is you, Thea. I want to spend forever together."

He took a shaky breath before asking the big question, "Thea Dearden Queen, will you marry me?"

Tears sparkled in her green eyes and stole silently down her cheeks, "Oh Ollie. Yes, yes, I'll marry you."

Fireworks exploded in the night sky, as if the city itself was expressing its excitement for the forbidden couple. While the rest of the world was rejoicing in the arrival of the new year, Oliver was slipping the white-gold band onto her left ring finger. Thea dropped to her knees, joining him on the concrete balcony floor. Her hands came up to rest on the sides of his face, kissing him slowly, sweetly. When they finally broke apart, both siblings were breathless and grinning.

General New Year's Eve cheer drifted up from the street below as a cacophony of fireworks exploded above the harbor in the distance. All of that was a blur to Thea, however, who could only see Oliver clearly. His eyes were bright, joy clearly reflected in them, and the soft smile on his face spoke of true happiness.

"Are we really doing this? Are we really engaged?"

He slid her left hand off his jaw and held it level with their chests between them. "We're really engaged, Speedy."

"Wow."

Oliver adjusted his hold on her hand and pulled her to stand when he did so, "Let's go inside, pop the champagne and talk, yeah?"

Thea nodded happily; she hadn't gotten a good look at the ring when he presented it, too caught up in his proposal to give the jewelry more than a cursory glance. Now though, as they stepped over the threshold into their home, she could give her newest accessories a closer look. It had three oval-shaped diamonds on it, the middle stone just a little bit grander than its side diamonds. The three gems were situated in a classic, white gold mounting. It was beautiful without the gaudiness of other engagement rings that she had seen; simple, but sophisticated. It truly was the perfect ring for her.

"Thea, if you want me to open the champagne, you have to give me my hand back."

She raised her green eyes and was surprised to find that they were standing in the middle of the kitchen already. She released his hand with a mumbled, "sorry," before taking a seat at the island. There was a bottle of champagne in the middle of the counter, chilling in an ice bucket. Two champagne flutes were ready and waiting on one side of the bucket while on the other side, closest to Thea, was a bouquet of red roses in a vase that appeared to be made of candy canes.

"You went all out, didn't you?" she asked rhetorically, stretching forward so she could smell the roses. They were fragrant and just generally beautiful.

Oliver smiled as he lifted the green bottle out of the ice, "I had to do this right. You deserve the best, Speedy."

He poured a generous amount of bubbly into both flutes before returning the bottle to the ice and maneuvering around the island to take a seat beside her. She leaned over into his space and kissed him chastely. He nipped at her lower lip before they separated again.

"Not that I don't appreciate the gestures, Ollie, because I do…but you know I don't need all the frills, right? Just you and me, that's all I need."

He picked up his glass, fingers closing around the stem carefully, "I know. But just because you don't need them doesn't mean that you shouldn't get the grand gestures anyway."

Shaking her head in amusement, Thea picked up her own drink, "Here's to the new year."

"Here's to our future," Oliver added and the two clinked their glasses.

It was going to be a wonderful year indeed.


End file.
